Advanced Placement World History
Course Syllabus
2013-2014
Course Description:
The purpose of the AP World History course is to develop greater understanding of the evolution of
global processes and contacts, in interaction with different types of human societies. This understanding
is advanced through a combination of selective factual knowledge and appropriate analytical skills. The
course highlights the nature of changes in international frameworks and their causes and consequences,
as well as comparisons among major societies. The course emphasizes relevant factual knowledge
deployed in conjunction with leading interpretive issues and types of historical evidence. The course
builds on an understanding of cultural, institutional, and technological precedents that, along with
geography, set the human stage. Periodization, explicitly discussed, forms an organizing principle for
dealing with change and continuity throughout the course. Specific themes provide further organization to
the course, along with the consistent attention to contacts among societies that form the core of world
history as a field of study.
Textbook
■Bentley, Jerry & Ziegler, Herbert. Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past. Fifth
Edition. McGraw-Hill. 2011.
Recommended Resources
■Princeton Review. Cracking the AP World History Exam (paperback)
■ This Fleeting World: A History of Humanity by David Christian
Supplemental/Summer Reading
■They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The true story of three Lost Boys from Sudan by Benson Deng,
Alephonsion Deng, and Benjamin Ajak
Website
http://lake.k12.fl.us/Page/13244
Periods of Study per the AP College Board
Period 1.
Technological and Environmental Transformations, to 600 B.C.E.
Period 2.
Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies, 600 B.C.E. to
600C.E.
Period 3.
Regional and Transregional Interactions, 600 C.E. to 1450 C.E.
Period 4.
Global Interactions, 1450 C.E. to 1750.C.E.
Period 5.
Industrialization and Global Integration, 1750 C.E. to 1900 C.E.
Period 6.
Accelerating Global Change and Realignments, 1900 C.E. to Present.
The Five Themes of AP World History
1. Interaction between humans & the environment: demography & disease, migration, patterns of
settlement, technology
2. Development and interaction of cultures: religion, belief systems, philosophies, ideologies, science &
technology, arts & architecture
3. State-building, expansion, & conflict: political structures & forms of governance, empires, nations &
nationalism, revolts & revolutions, regional, trans-regional, and global structures and organizations
4. Creation, expansion, & interaction of economic systems: agriculture and pastoral production, trade and
commerce, labor systems, industrialization, capitalism & socialism
5. Development and transformation of social structures: gender roles & relations, family & kinship, racial
& ethnic constructions, social & economic classes
The Four Historical Thinking Skills of AP World History
1. Crafting historical arguments from historical evidence (e.g. historical argumentation, appropriate use
of relevant historical evidence; etc.)
2. Chronological reasoning (e.g. historical causation, patterns of continuity and change over time,
periodization, etc.)
3. Comparison and contextualization
4. Historical interpretation and synthesis
AP World History Habits of Mind
1. Constructing and evaluating arguments: using evidence to make plausible arguments
2. Using documents and other primary data: developing skills necessary to analyze point of view, context,
and to understand and interpret information
3. Assessing continuity and change over time and different world regions
4. Understanding diversity of interpretations through analysis of context, point of view, and frame of
reference
5. Seeing global patterns and processes over time and space while connecting local developments to global
ones
6. Comparing within and among societies, including comparing societies’ reactions to global processes
7. Considering human commonalities and differences
8. Exploring claims of universal standards in relation to culturally diverse ideas
9. Exploring the persistent relevance of world history to contemporary development
Grading Policy
Grade categories are weighted in AP World History. The weights according to category are listed below.
Quizzes Participation Essays Tests Total -
20%
10%
35%
35%
100% *Notice, this class is about performance!
Grade Clarification
Quizzes – Expect a quiz on every chapter/reading topic in a unit. Quizzes will be given the day after a reading
assignment (e.g. if it is Tuesday night and your assignment is to read Chapter 1, then you will have a quiz on
Chapter 1 on Wednesday at the beginning of class or the next time the class meets). Reading guides per chapter
are made available to you on the website. Complete the reading guides and feel free to use them on any quiz you
take in this class. Also, if you take your own notes from readings and videos feel free to use them on any quiz you
take in class. Submit your reading guides, notes, and video notes and I will boost that day’s quiz score by 10
points.
Participation – It’s a history class; of course you have to take notes. You’re going to find that I don’t “give
notes.” I pull discussion out of you. I will provide a general outline of a day’s discussion, but you will not be
copying notes. In essence, AP World History is not a spectator sport. Good note-taking is characterized by taking
in information through the sensory register, and then summarizing or analyzing it into something meaningful. Try
doing Cornell Notes during class discussions. Participation is at my discretion. I take detailed notes of your
participation in class. Just watch what happens to your participation grade if you put your head down, if you
aren’t taking notes during discussion, or if you aren’t staying on task during class activities.
Essays –Numerous essays will be completed throughout the course; most will be completed in class while few
may be completed out of class. All in-class essays are timed, as they are during your AP exam. All essays are to
be hand-written. I grade your essays according to a modified College Board rubric. Essay writing is a skill you
will learn, which proves to me and the College Board that you can analyze the content. The following is a grade
correlation for essay rubric scores:
Rubric Score
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Missing
Grade Clarification cont.
Alpha/Numeric Grade
100 A
95 A
90 A
85 B
78 C
75 C
68 D
65 D
62 D
60 D
0 F *Notice, always try! Your grade depends on it!
Unit Test –You will have one 70-question, multiple choice test per unit. Test grades are calculated per the College
Board’s test calculation. The following is a grade correlation for your test scores:
Number Correct
Missing
0 -24 correct
25-29 correct
30-34 correct
35-39 correct
40-44 correct
45-49 correct
50-54 correct
55-59 correct
60-64 correct
65-70 correct
Alpha/Numeric Grade
0 F *Notice, always try! Your grade depends on it!
50 F
60 D
65 D
70 C
75 C
80 B
85 B
90 A
95 A
100 A
The proverbial bottom line: When you walk into P-25, I consider you a mature, adult college student. That means life
here will be very different from high school: much more independence and freedom of choice. Some people are ready
for the responsibility that comes with that new life; others are far from ready. Your success is based on your
willingness to respond as a college student.
Academic Expectations of AP World History Students
1. All readings are expected to be completed prior to the class discussion and assignments. Readings may
include textbook and primary/secondary sources provided by instructor.
2. Students are expected to participate in group and class discussions.
3. Class discussions are encouraged, and utilized almost every single day. Students are expected to respect
each other. Only meaningful comments are expected. All comments are expected to be made in manners that
do not offend other students.
4. The instructor reserves the right to choose any student to lead a discussion, answer questions, or illicit
comments. All AP students must be able to articulate thoughts pertaining to the course at any given time.
5. Group discussions should be focused on class topics at all times.
6. Group activities are expected to be complete with the utmost sincerity and integrity. We do not waste time in
class, and everything that you complete impacts your grade.
7. We will move forward with the daily schedule no matter of general interruptions, such as class assemblies,
firedrills/alarms, FCAT, short periods, etc. This means that any topics on the course schedule that are
interrupted by such general interruptions, it is expected that those topics will be completed by the student.
8. Students are expected to review discussion topics from class with their parents in the evenings. This is a
simple exercise that can result in the students’ better conceptual understanding of class topics.
9. Cheating, plagiarism, and copying other students’ work are all student behaviors that will result in an
automatic failure of the assignment(s) in question and my recommendation of your removal from the AP
program.
10. Students are not permitted to use any notes, texts, or sources during the writing of in-class essays unless
told otherwise by the instructor.
11. Essay rewrites may be granted to classes from time to time, but they are not guaranteed, and are solely at
the instructor’s discretion.
12. In-class essays are all hand-written and timed. If you miss an essay, then you are expected to make an
appointment with me for before or after school to make it up.
13. All unit exams are timed. If you miss an exam, then you are expected to make an appointment with me for
before or after school to make it up.
14. All quizzes are timed in class. If you miss a quiz, then you are expected to make an appointment with me for
before or after school to make it up.
Class Rules & Procedures
Rule 1: Respect Everyone and Everything. Be kind and respectful to yourself, your classmates, your teacher,
and to the items in the classroom. We are all here to help you, not to trick you. Disrespectful behavior includes
name-calling, talking loud, talking out of turn, talking over myself or others who have the floor, using profanity,
and throwing items. Here is what happens…
First Time – Non-verbal or verbal warning
Second Time – Conference with you after class w/ parent contact
Third Time – Teacher detention
Fourth Time - Referral
Rule 2: Do Not Be Disruptive. This class encourages co-operative group work and class discussions. However,
no student will be tolerated for rude interruptions while the teacher, another student, administrator, or guest
speaker is addressing the class. If you have a comment or question, raise your hand and I will call on you.
Outlawed items, such as walkmans, CD players, ipods, cell phones, beepers, video games, MP3 players,
etc. are not to be used in my class. The expectation is that these items are turned off and placed in your
pocket or bag, and are not to be seen or heard throughout the entire class period. Here is what
happens…
First Time – Warning (I ask you nicely to put it away)
Second Time – I take it for the remainder of the period (you get it back at the end of class)
Third Time – I take it, bring it to Character Development, you deal with them
Rule 3: Be Prepared. Be prepared everyday for class. No student will be tolerated that is not prepared for class.
Textbooks, paper, notebooks, and writing utensils are required everyday. Have these items ready for use; class
begins when the bell rings. Don’t miss timed quizzes that start when the bell rings!
Rule 4: Learn something. Do not waste your time in this class or any other class for that matter. There is value
in every class you take, but you have to take the initiative to find that value. Please learn something and have
fun at it.
Procedure 1: Restroom. East Ridge High School faculty and staff are dedicated to maintaining the hallways
during class times. Therefore, students needing to leave class for the restroom and/or water fountain will need
to sign out and carry the clipboard. Passes for other designated areas will be signed and given by the teacher. If
you abuse the restroom pass, plan on holding it.
Procedure 2: Absenteeism. If you are absent on a test day, you have FIVE school days from your last missed
day to make it up. DO NOT FAIL TO TAKE TESTS AND WRITE ESSAYS; THEY ARE WORTH TOO
MUCH. It is your responsibility to find out what you’ve missed. In other words, DO NOT rely on me to initiate
conversation about what you missed when you were absent. If you miss handouts or assignments, then you need
to ask me for details at proper times. If the class is engaged in group activities, you will be asked to join a group
upon your return.
Procedure 3: Take care of your part of the classroom. Before leaving I ask that you take a minute to look
around your immediate area. If chairs and desks need to be straightened up in your area, please take the
initiative. If you see any trash on the floor in your area, simply throw it away in one of my trashcans. Secure all
of your personal belongings before you leave.
Week Of…
8/19/13
8/26/13
9/2/13
9/9/13
9/16/13
9/23/13
In Class Topics
-Introduction, syllabus,
textbooks, grading policy,
signatures, emails
-Why study history?
-Intro. DBQ Writing 1 & 2
-Intro. DBQ Writing 3
-Themes in AP World
History (SPRITE)
-Periods in AP World
History (Periodization)
-Paleolithic and Neolithic
cultures
-First Civilizations:
Mesopotamia & North
Africa
-Intro. C/C Writing
-First Civilizations:
Mesopotamia & North
Africa
-First Civilizations: India
and China
-First Civilizations:
Mesoamerica
-Intro. Building &
maintaining empires in
World History
-Classical Civilizations:
Empires of Persia, China,
and India
9/30/13
-Classical Civilizations:
Empires of Greece and
Rome
-Integration and decline of
Classical Civilizations
10-7-13
-Units 1 & 2 Review
Week Of…
In Class Topics
You read
from the
textbook…
You watch from the Crash
Course series on
Youtube…
You do for a
grade…
-Quiz on
introductory topics
-Quiz on
introductory topics
- DBQ Essay 1
-Ch. 1
-Ch. 2
-Ch. 3
-The Agricultural
Revolution
-Mesopotamia
-Ancient Egypt
-Quizzes on Chs.
1,2,3
-Summer Reading
Assessment
-Ch. 4
-Ch. 5
-Indus Valley Civilization
-China
-Quizzes on Chs.
4,5
-C/C Essay 1
-Ch. 6
-Ch. 7
-Ch. 8
-Ch. 9
-Ch. 10
-Ch. 11
-Ch. 12
-Quiz on Ch. 6
-C/C Essay 1
-The Persians and the
Greeks
-China
-Buddha and Ashoka
-Alexander the Great and
the Situation…the Great
-The Roman Empire. Or
Republic. Or…which is it?
-Christianity: From Judaism
to Constantine
-The Silk Road and Ancient
Trade
-The Fall of the Roman
Empire…in the 15th
Century
-Quizzes on Chs.
7,8,9
-Quizzes on Chs.
10, 11, 12
-DBQ Essay 2
-Unit 1/2 Exam
-DBQ Essay 2
You read
You watch from the Crash
You do for a
10-14-13
10/21/13
10/28/13
11/4/13
11/11/13
11/18/13
-Post-Classical
Civilizations: Christian
societies of the
Mediterranean Basin and
beyond 1
-Post-Classical
Civilizations: Basics of
Islam
-Post-Classical
Civilizations: Islamic
societies of the
Mediterranean Basin and
beyond
-Post-Classical
Civilizations: South Asia
-Post-Classical
Civilizations: Sub-Sahara
Africa
-Post-Classical
Civilizations: East Asia
-Post-Classical
Civilizations: Nomadic and
migrant groups
-Post-Classical
Civilizations: Christian
societies of the
Mediterranean Basin and
beyond 2
-Post-Classical
Civilizations: Christian
societies of the
Mediterranean Basin and
beyond 2
-Post-Classical
Civilizations: Interaction,
exchange, crisis, recovery,
and exploration
-Post-Classical
Civilizations: Interaction,
exchange, crisis, recovery,
and exploration
-Post-Classical
Civilizations: PreColumbian American
cultures
-Ch. 13
-Ch. 15
Course series on
Youtube…
-The Dark Ages…how dark
were they?
-The Fall of the Roman
Empire…in the 15th
Century
-Islam, the Quran, and the
Five Pillars all without a
flamewar
-International commerce,
snorkeling, camels, and the
Indian Ocean Trade
grade…
-Quizzes on Chs.
16, 13
-Quizzes on Chs.
13, 15
-C/C Essay 2
-Ch. 18
-Ch. 14
-Mansa Musa and Islam in
Africa
-Quizzes on Chs.
14, 18
-C/C Essay 2
-Ch. 17
-Ch. 19
-Wait for it…the Mongols!
-Quizzes on Chs.
17, 19
-Ch. 19
-Ch. 21
-The Crusades – Pilgrimage
or holy war?
-The Renaissance: Was it a
thing?
-Columbus, De Gama, and
Zheng He! 15th century
mariners
-Quizzes on Chs.
19, 21
-DBQ Essay 3
-Ch. 21
-Ch. 20
-The Renaissance: Was it a
thing?
-Columbus, De Gama, and
Zheng He! 15th century
mariners
-Quizzes on Chs.
21, 20
-DBQ Essay 3
Thanksgiving Holidays – No School
11/25/13
Week Of…
from the
textbook…
-Ch. 16
-Ch. 13
In Class Topics
You read
You watch from the Crash
You do for a
12/2/13
12/9/13
12/16/13
12/23/13
12/30/13
1/6/14
1/13/14
1/20/14
1/27/14
2/3/14
Week Of…
-Unit 3 Review
-Early Modern
Civilizations: European
Exploration 1
-Early Modern
Civilizations: European
Exploration 1
-Early Modern
Civilizations: European
Exploration 2
-Early Modern
Civilizations: Religious
division & political power
in Europe
-Intro. CCOT Writing
-Early Modern
Civilizations: Religious
division & political power
in Europe
-Early Modern
Civilizations: Social,
economic, and intellectual
change in Europe
from the
textbook…
-Ch. 22
Course series on
Youtube…
-The Columbian Exchange
-Ch. 22
-Ch. 23
-The Columbian Exchange
-Youtube “Evolution of
Dance”
-Ch. 23
grade…
-Quizzes on Ch. 22
-Unit 3 Exam
-Quizzes on Ch. 22,
23
-CCOT Essay 1
-Quiz on Ch. 23
-CCOT Essay 1
Winter Holidays – No School
-Early Modern
Civilizations: European
colonization of the Atlantic
and Pacific
-Early Modern
Civilizations: Africa and
the African Slave Trade 1
&2
-Early Modern
Civilizations: Africa and
the African Slave Trade 2
-Early Modern
Civilizations: East Asian
societies
-Early Modern
Civilizations: Islamic
societies
-Unit 4 Review
-Late Modern
Civilizations: Atlantic
Revolutions 1
In Class Topics
-Ch. 24
-Ch. 25
-The Spanish Empire,
silver, and runaway
inflation
-The Seven Years’ War
-The amazing life and
strange death of Captain
Cook
-The Atlantic Slave Trade
Midterm Exams
-Ch. 25
-The Atlantic Slave Trade
-Ch. 26
-Quizzes on chs.
24, 25
-Ch. 27
-Venice and the Ottoman
Empire
-Quizzes on ch. 27
-C/C Essay 3 &
CCOT Essay 2
-Ch. 28
-Tea, taxes, and the
-Unit 4 Exam
American Revolution
-Quiz on ch. 28
-The French Revolution
-DBQ Essay 4
-The Haitian Revolutions
You watch from the Crash
You do for a
You read
-Quizzes on chs.
25, 26
-C/C Essay 3 &
CCOT Essay 2
2/10/14
2/17/14
2/24/14
3/3/14
3/10/14
3/17/14
3/24/14
3/31/14
4/7/14
4/14/14
4/21/14
Week Of…
-Late Modern
Civilizations: Atlantic
Revolutions 2
-Late Modern
Civilizations: Industrial
Revolution 1
-Late Modern
Civilizations: Industrial
Revolution 2
-Late Modern
Civilizations: The
Americas in the Age of
Independence
-Late Modern
Civilizations: The
Americas in the Age of
Independence
-Late Modern
Civilizations: The societies
at crossroads 1 & 2
-Late Modern
Civilizations: The societies
at crossroads 2
-Late Modern
Civilizations: Imperialism
1&2
-Unit 5 Review
-The Contemporary World:
World War I 1 and 2
-The Contemporary World:
Interwar societies 1 & 2
-The Contemporary World:
Interwar societies 2 & 3
-The Contemporary World:
World War II 1
-The Contemporary World:
World War II 1, 2, & 3
-The Contemporary World:
World War II 3
-The Contemporary World:
The Cold War
-The Contemporary World:
Decolonization 1
In Class Topics
grade…
from the
textbook…
-Ch. 28
-Ch. 29
Course series on
Youtube…
-Coal, steam, and the
Industrial Revolution
-Capitalism and Socialism
-Ch. 29
-Ch. 30
-Latin American
Revolutions
-Quizzes on ch. 29,
30
-C/C Essay 4 &
CCOT Essay 3
-Ch. 30
-Ch. 31
-Samurai, Daimyo,
Matthew Perry, and
Nationalism
-Quizzes on chs.
30, 31
-C/C Essay 4 &
CCOT Essay 3
-Ch. 31
-Ch. 32
-Imperialism
-Quizzes on chs.
31, 32
-Ch. 33
-Archdukes, cynicism, and
World War I
Spring Break – No School
-Ch. 34
-Communists, nationalists,
-Ch. 35
and China’s revolutions
-Ch. 35
-Ch. 36
-Communists, nationalists,
and China’s revolutions
-World War II
-Ch. 36
-World War II
-Ch. 37
-USA v. USSR Fight! The
Cold War
-Decolonization and
nationalism triumphant
You read
You watch from the Crash
-Quizzes on ch. 28,
29
-DBQ Essay 4
-DBQ Essay 5
-Quiz on ch. 33
-DBQ Essay 5
-Quizzes on chs.
34, 35
-C/C Essay 5 &
CCOT Essay 4
-Quizzes on chs.
35, 36
-C/C Essay 5 &
CCOT Essay 4
-Quiz on ch. 36
-Quiz on ch. 37
You do for a
4/28/14
5/4/14
5/12/14
from the
textbook…
-Ch. 37
-Ch. 38
Course series on
Youtube…
-Globalization I: The upside
-Globalization II: Good or
bad?
grade…
-The Contemporary World:
-Quizzes on ch. 37,
Decolonization 2
38
-The Contemporary World:
Globalization I & 2
-Course Review
-Practice Exam
-Course Review
DATES TBA – AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING! PLEASE ATTEND!
THURSDAY 5/15/14
AP EXAM SCHEDULED FOR 8:00 AM; LOCATION - TBA
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